Diversity Trends in the United States Surgical Society Leadership From 1980 to 2025

Background Physicians from underrepresented groups in medicine have historically been less likely to enter surgical specialties. This project sought to evaluate changes in the demographics of surgical society leadership from 1980 to 2025. Methodology In total, 31 societies were included in this retrospective analysis, and data on age, sex, and ethnicity were gathered and analyzed using SPSS. Results There was a significant increase in the number of female presidents and non-White presidents in the 2010-2025 period compared to 1980-1995. The Association for Academic Surgery (AAS), American Society of Breast Surgeons, and the Association for Surgical Education all had more female presidents than average, while the American Urological Association had fewer. AAS and the Surgical Society of the Alimentary Tract both had more non-White presidents than other societies. The American Pediatric Surgical Association and Western Surgical Association presidents were significantly older, while the AAS, American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, EAST Trauma Society, Midwestern Surgical Society, and Society for University Surgeons presidents were significantly younger than the overall median age. Conclusions Many surgical societies have improved their representation of women and non-White surgeons. These significant changes in representation signify an appreciation for the demographic changes in the United States within the past 45 years.